The present technology is directed to establishing a connection between a client device within a 2G or 3G network and 5G core through an interworking function. The present technology can perform establishing a Gn-4G interworking function (IWF) between a client access network and a packet anchor network and performing one or more network functions through the Gn-4G IWF in providing a client of the client access network access to network services through the packet anchor network. The one or more network functions appear as one or more Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) functions from the client access network (e.g., 2G or 3G network). The one or more network functions concurrently appear as one or more S4 Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) functions from the packet anchor network (e.g., 4G or 5G network).
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Gn-4G IWF is a Gn-S4 IWF, which appears as a standalone S4 Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) function.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the Gn-4G IWF is a Gn-S5 IWF, which appears as an S4 SGSN function integrated to a Serving Gateway Control (SGW-C) function.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the client access network is one of GSM Edge Radio Access Network (GERAN) or UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN).
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the Gn-4G interworking function is implemented at one or more servers in the packet anchor network.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet anchor network is part of the 5G Core network (5GC).
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet anchor network is part of a 4G Core network.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the Gn-4G IWF is a Gn-S4 IWF, which appears as a standalone S4 Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) function.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the Gn-4G IWF is a Gn-S5 IWF, which appears as an S4 SGSN function integrated to a Serving Gateway Control (SGW-C) function.
11. The system of claim 8, wherein the client access network is one of GSM Edge Radio Access Network (GERAN) or UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN).
12. The system of claim 8, wherein the Gn-4G interworking function is implemented at one or more servers in the packet anchor network.
13. The system of claim 8, wherein the packet anchor network is part of a 5G Core network (5GC).
14. The system of claim 8, wherein the packet anchor network is part of a 4G Core network.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the Gn-4G IWF is a Gn-S4 IWF, which appears as a standalone S4 Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) function.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the Gn-4G IWF is a Gn-S5 IWF, which appears as an S4 SGSN function integrated to a Serving Gateway Control (SGW-C) function.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the client access network is one of GSM Edge Radio Access Network (GERAN) or UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN).
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the Gn-4G interworking function is implemented at one or more servers in the packet anchor network.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the packet anchor network is part of a 5G Core network (5GC).
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March 6, 2023
April 23, 2024
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